Paper feeding machine



March 13, 1951 v F. SCHWAR-ZER 2,545,388

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed March 4, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FredSchwaraez; I K, J TIL/J Aztoneg March 13, 1951 F. SCHWARZER 5 9 PAPERFEEDING MACHINE Filed March 4, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fred schwar er,

March 13, 1951 F. SCHWARZER PAfER FEEDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledMarch 4, 1947 {4V 0 w e v.8 w W 7 m 0! 5 is M 5 u 8 H j n0 8 1 Z A l WW7 m? J 1 8 W wu 41 5 9 6 1 8 7.0 94 1 8 7 n 8 m g 0 L... 1 H 1 1 fin w Z1 Patented Mar. 13, 1951 PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Fred Schwarzer,Pottstown, A Pa., assignor to American Business Systems, Philadelphia,Pa.

Application March 4, 1947, Serial No. 732,212

9 Claims. (Cl. 271-18) This invention relates to a machine for feedingsheets of paper. An object of the invention is the provision of amachine for feeding sheets of paper as desired into typewriters, billingand similar machines in which the sheets of paper are discharged by theoperation of a lever for moving a follower progressively toward thedischarge end of a rack which carried the papers, the individual sheetsbeing picked off a stack of papers on the supporting rack.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine forsupplying individual sheets of paper from a stack on a rack in which thestack is moved progressively to a discharge end of the rack by afollower, the sheets of paper being picked off the stack by the ends ofa pair of inwardly moving resilient fingers and then released as thefingers are withdrawn, the individual sheet being dropped into aslightly lowered position just before withdrawal from the stack while asucceeding sheet is held in elevated position by arms which are operatedin timed relation with the inwardly moving fingers and the progressivelyshifting follower, the operation of the follower,

the fingers and arms being effected by a single stroke of a manuallyactuated lever.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine forsupplying sheets of paper individually to the platen by a typewriter bymeans of a progressively shifted follower on a rack which supports astack of sheets of the paper, levers connected to the follower beingactuated progressively by a spring-controlled shaft which in turn isrocked at angular increments by a toothed wheel through the medium of arecip rocating pawl, a second pawl retaining the wheel against reverserotation by a spring and movable to an inoperative position forreleasing the reciprocating pawl from the teeth of the wheel whereby thespring will reversely rotate the shaft and wheel and return the'followerto its initial position, means actuated by a single stroke of a manuallyoperated lever for picking individual sheets from the stack, said levercontrolling simultaneously the movement of the reciprocating pawl.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement andcombinations of parts Figure 3 is a side view in elevation of said machine. V

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of the machine taken along theline 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section of the main operatingmechanism of the machine with the cover plate for said mechanismremoved.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view showing the main operating mechanismfor the sheetshifting follower.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken substantially along line 'i-'l ofFigure 4 with the rearward levers omitted and showing the paper-pickingmeans moved to operative position. v

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 8-8 ofFigure 7.

Figure 9 is a front view in elevation of the lever and associatedU-shaped member shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view in perspective of a filler block used in connectionwith the rack which supports the sheets of paper.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal vertical section of ,a manually operatingdevice, taken along the line H-ll of Figure 12.

Figure 12 is a plan view of the manually operating device shown inFigures 3 and 10 and Figure 13 is a plan view of the rockable memberillustrated in Figure 8 with parts broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, i5

designates a standard which is U-shaped in cross section and which risesfrom a base member l6 adapted to be secured in any approved manner to adesk so the paper feeding machine may be in close association with theplaten of a typewriter, not shown. A post I! U-shaped in cross section,is fitted intothe standard l5 and projects upwardly above the upper endof the said standard. A block 53 is connected to the standard. A block69 is attached between the flanges of the post H. An axle 2B isconnected between the lower ends of the side flanges of said standard.

A lever 2i is pivoted at one end to a bracket '22 secured to the top ofthe post where a supporting block 23 is attached. Said block has a notch24 received by the upper end of the post so that when a bolt 25 isremoved said block and attachments may be removed. The lever 2| isforced upwardly by a spring 26 upon which pressure is adjusted by a bolt21 carried by the block iii.

A link so is connected between an intermediate portion of the lever 2!and an eye 3! at the upper end of a rod 32 which extends downwardly inthe standard I5 and through a stop 33 adjustably positioned on the rodby a bolt 34.

A U-shaped spring member 35 has a bight por- 3 tion received by apassage in an arm of a bell crank 36 pivoted on the axle 20. The freeends of the arms of said spring member are fastened to the stop 33.

A manually operating device 37 (Figs. 3, and 11), is in a convenientposition for the typist which is usually at the front of the desk 30. Aclamp Al is provided for retaining the device 31 in place and isconnected to a housing 42. A lever 43 projects through a slot in thehousing and has a finger piece as for manual actuation of the leverwhich is pivoted at 45 on the housing. A link 46 connects a free endofthe lever 43 with a free end of a lever M pivoted at 48 on saidhousing. A link 49 is attached between the other free end of the lever4! and a wire or rod 50. The link 49 passes through an opening in thehousing 31 while the rod 56 passes through an opening in the lower endof the standard l5 and isattached to the lower free end of the bellcrank 36 (Fig. 4).

A rack generally designated by the numeral 52 has a bottom member 52which is attached to a -block.53 that is in turn secured to the block 23at the upper end of the post I"! (Figures 4 and 7). The bottom isU-shaped in cross section.

"Side plates 54 and 54a are secured to the oppositeends offthebottommember in any approved manner. A brace bar 55 is bolted to inturnedflanges 51 on the side plates at the rear of the machine (Fig. 2). Afront longitudinal plate 58 is bolted to. outturned flanges 53 on thefront edges of the side plate (Fig. l).

The follower 60 against which a stack of papers isplacedis disposedbetween the side plates 5d of the rack 5i. Spaced pairs of links 6!(Figures 2 and 4) have the inner ends pivoted on a U- shaped member 6l-ato the back of the follower 60 while the outer ends are pivoted to thefree ends of spaced levers 62 which have a bridging portion. 62.-asecured to the shaft 63 which has bearings in brackets Ed and 64asecured to the flanges .51

The levers 62 and link 6| move the lower end of the follower toward thefront end of the machine.

vLevers 65 have their free ends pivotally connected to the outer ends oflinks 66 with the inner ends of the links having pivotal connection anda U-shaped member t5-a secured to the back of the follower 6B. Thelevers 65 as shown in Figures 2 and 4 form the spaced arms 'of aU-shaped member which has a bridging .portionfil pivotally mounted onears 68 attached to the upper flanged edge of the bar 55 (Figures 2 and4). The links 56 are connected by a bridging member 69.

A lever Hl secured at one end to the bridging portion 6'! projectsdownwardly and has pivotal connections with a depending link 1 I. Alever '12 has one end rigidly attached to the shaft 63 while the otherend has pivotal connections with the'lower end of the link 1| so thatwhen the shaft E3 is rocked progressively, the follower 69 will be movedstep-by-step toward the discharge .end of the rack, with both the topand bottom of the follower being shifted simultaneously the samedistance. The levers 65 and 1!! in effect form abell crank while thelevers 52 and '52 also of arms 78 and 19 are rigid with a shaft 88mounted in bearings in the spaced flanges i5 intermediate the ends ofthe member it. The arm it extends rearwardly from the shaft 853 and hasa downwardly bent free end 8! located in a slot 82 at the rear end ofthe member i5. A ball 83 is secured to said free end. The inner freeends of the arms i8 and 79 project beyond an upstanding lip 8 at the endof the member it. This lip has a slot 85 for a purpose which will bepresently explained.

A lever 88 projecting from a rock shaft 8? is engaged by a downwardlyprojecting finger 58 on the arm '58. When the arm it is lowered by theweight of a sheet rested thereon, the lever 86- is lowered. It will benoted that the front ends (Figures 7 and 8) of the flanges F5 arecutaway at 89, to form a lower edge portion so that the lower end of'thesheet of paper will drop lower than the normal free edges of the flanges15 upon which said sheet has been supported during the forward movementof the follower 6%.

The portions 59 are substantially in the same 'plane as the uppersurfaces of the inner portions-of the arms 73 and it when said arms havebeen lowered.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, mechanism is illustrated for rotating theshaft 63 upon which a coil spring 9t is wound. One end at of said springrests against the bracket 6d while the other end 92 is secured in apassage in a collar 93' rigid with a gear 3 3 which is attached. to theshaftGS. A small gear 35 meshes with the gear 9%. The geared and a largegear as are fixed to a shaft 9? mounted in bearings in a bar 93 and aplate 99 attached to the adjacent side plate 54 of the rack 5!. Thegears 95 and Q55 and the 'shaft'fia are revolved when the gear es is re-:volved. A pawl i353 engages the teeth of the gear $5 and preventsreverse rotation of said gear by the coil spring Bil until the pawl isreleased by the lever Hill which is pivoted at Hi2 onthe plate. A springE83 maintains the pawls I08 in engagement with the teeth of the gear 95. An oscillating pawl M l engages the teeth of Ht on the plate 99. Afinger H! on the pawl I891 is adapted to engage a cam surface M2 on ,thepawl I9 3 for forcing the last mentioned pawl out of engagement with theteeth of the gear 96. A pin M3 on the plate '99 limits the movement ofthe pawl de l so that the pawl i536 will not be placed in a positionwhere it will not fall by gravity into the teeth -of the gear at whenreleased.

One end of the arm IE8 is rigidly attached to one-endof a shaft H5. Theother end of said arm isconnected with one end of a rod i it. The rod.HE and shaft H5 run transversely of the front end of the machine. Alink 5125 has one end ,pivotallyconnected with the rod H6 while theother end of said link is pivoted to the frcnt end ofthe lever .22! atthe middle of said machine.

A curved arm 62f has the front end rigid with the other end of the shaft5 iii. The other or rear end of said arm is pivoted on the other end ofthe shafthas a bearing in a projection I25 side plate 54-a. A U-shapedlever I26 has a bridging portion I21 and parallel. legs I21--a whichhave they lower ends thereof secured at atlases ofthe I28 to the shaftH5. The upper free end of g each leg has an inturned flange I29 fromwhich extends a vertical finger I30.

A U-shaped member I3I (Figures '1, 8 and 9) I has a top or bridgingportion I32 and depending q legs I33 which are pivoted at the lower endson theshaft H5 at each side of the legs I2'|-a of the lever I26. Thebridging member at the outer end is provided with an upstanding flangeI34 I which is adjacent a vertical flange I35 on an adjustable memberI36 in contact with the under surface of the member I32. A flange I31 atthe inner end of the member I36 is adjacent the inner end of thebridging member I 32 and is provided with a pair of. passages I38'forapurpose which will be explained presently.

A device is provided in connection with the lever I26 and the U-shapedmember I3I for the 7 positive removal of sheets of paper or folded paperfrom the rack. The device includes spring arms I40 of'a V-shaped memberI4I, said arms being connected together by a bight portion I42. The

. r 6 member 16 (Fig. '1). In other words, the flange I31 on the slideI36 is adjusted relative to the pointed ends I43 of the spring member I4I.

A crank I60 (Figs. 5 and 6) secured to one end of the rock shaft 81projects through an opening I6I in the side wall 54 of the rack 5| andan ani nular opening I62 in the plate 99. Said crank is in engagementwith the edge I I2 of the pawl I04. When a number of manifolds is placedon the rack 5I and said manifolds are progressively moved forwardlytowards the discharge end of the rack, a manifold will be shifted ontothe free ends of the arms 10 and 19 before being picked member I4I restson the top I32 of the U-shaped member I3I with arms being received bythe elongated passages I38 in the flange I31.

The free ends I43 are pointed and directed toward eachother, as shown inFigure 12.

in a predetermined position by a bolt I46 received by a passage I41 insaid block and threaded into a passage in the slide I36. Said bolt isalso received by an enlarged opening I32-a in the member I32 of theU'-shaped member I3I. The bottom face of the block I45 has a lug I48which is embraced by the bight portion I42 of themember I4I while saidbight portion is received by a groove I49 partially surrounding the lugI48. The passage I41 has a diameter sufliciently large to permitadjustment of the block I45 toward or away from the flange I31. A headI50 on the bolt I46 is adapted to engage the upper face of the block forsecuring the block in an adjusted position after the pointed ends I43 ofthe arms I40 have been placed the properdistance from the flange I31 forgripping paper on the rack 5I.

The block I45 is moved toward or away from off the arms by the pointedends I43 of the spring arms I40 and the weight of the manifold will besuflicient to depress said ends of the arms and the lever 86 so that theshaft 81 will be rocked causing the crank I60 to force the pawl I04 tomove in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 6 and to freesaid pawl from the teeth of wheel 96. Thus continued operation of thelever 36 will not move the wheel 96 nor the follower 60, until themanifold has been removed from the rack by the pointed ends or pickingfingers As shown in Figure 6, the wheel 96 has a blank portion I65 fromwhich teeth have been removed so that when the retaining pawl I00reached said portion the wheel 96 remains inoperative. At this time, thefollower 60 will have shifted all of the sheets of paper or manifoldsoff the rack. The pawl I00 is moved away from the wheel 96 until the armI II forces the operating pawl out of engagement with the teeth of thewheel 96 whence the spring 90 will return said wheel to its normaloperating position. If the spring needs tightening the collar 93 may bereleased by releasing a set screw 93a. The collar may be rotated untilthe spring has been wound sufficiently on the shaft 63.

An apron I66 (Figures 1, 2 and 3) has depending ears I61 at the upperend, thereof with lateral pins I68 on the ears passing throughperforations in the side walls 54 and 54a of the rack 5I. Nuts I69 arethreaded onto the pins for adjustably positioning the apron so that thesheets of paper or manifolds will be directed properly into thetypewriter.

A guide I10 L-shaped in cross section (Figures 1, 2, 3) is secured to ablock "I and provided with a slot I12 receiving the lower edge of theapron I66. A set screw I13 is threaded into a passage in the block forattaching the guide in the flange I31 by a wheel I5I*which has a centralbore threaded onto a screw I52 secured to the flange'l35 and to theblock I45. The wheel has a portion received neatly by a passage I53 inthe slide.I36 while said wheel is disposed in a slot I54 in the top orbridging portion I32 of the 'I U shaped member I3I.' The slot I54 issufliciently wide to permit the wheel to move back I' and forth in saidslot. An opening I55 in the tioning the pointed ends toward or away fromthe '"opening 85 in the flange 84 on the U-shaped an adjusted positionalong the lower edge of the apron. The free edge of one flange I14 ofthe guide is in engagement with the outer surface of the apron while theother flange I15 is spaced from the apron. The flanges cooperate withthe apron to form a groove at one side edge of the apron for -guidingpapers or manifolds into the typewriter.

Fillers I16 (Figures 1 and 10) are attached removably to the side walls54 and 54a of the rack 5I when narrower sheets of paper or manifolds areemployed. In this connection, it may be stated that the guide I10 isadjusted accordingly along the apron to take care of the sheets of lesswidth. Each side wall has a bayonet slot I11 to receive a headed pin orbolt I18 mounted on the filler. The periphery of each filler is sodesigned that said filler will have a neat fit in the opposite sidewalls 54 and 54-a of the rack.

A cover-plate I19 houses the mechanism illustrated in Figure 6. Saidplate is secured removably in place by a bolt Ithreaded into a perfo-The lever I-ZB-and-U-Shaped member I3I (Fig "8) Y are enclosed withinahousing' TBI "(Figures 1 and 3)-formed--integra1ly with thefrohti'pla'tefaa and projects outwardly therefrom. A' hinged cover I82closes the top of the housi'ng and'inay.

I be raised when it is desired to adjiist theposi- 'tion of the grippingfingers I43 (Fig. '13) "relative to the-flange I31.

Arms I65 are securedadjustably'td the upper rear face of the follower'60"b'y"bolts I86. arms are placed normally inoverlapping relation, asshown in Figure m nt may be'ra'isedto vertical positions for supportingpapers or manifolds which project too'far'above-the upper end of thefollower 66 and which would'tendtobend rearwardly without silchsupp'ort.

Referring more particularly to' F'ig'ures 2 and 4, it will be 'seen thatthe post I! is not only readily removable new" the standard "I5 but ismounted adjustablywithin said standard. "An 1 L-shaped member I99 has aflange I9I resting on the top of theiblo'ck 'I8 While the other flangeI92'is' in contact with'the'rear' wallof said block.

' The flanges I9I"'and""I92 extend across the full "width of thestandardl5 so that inclined edges I93 of the 'parallel'flanges on thepostI'I will engagetheoppos'ite'ends of the flange I92 on the memberI90. "A'win'gedbolt I94 threaded into a transverse passage: in the blockwith the free end of said bolt beingin engagement with the flanges I92of the membjer I96. 'The post I! is in its lowest positro inFigure randis held in such position'jby the'flange I92en'gaging the inclined edges-I93 of the post. Saidpost' maybe elevated andretain'ed in suchpositionby sc'rewing the bolt I94 inwardly for forcing t-he flange I92against the edges I93. 7 g

The operation ofmy device is-as' follows:

The follower 66 must be'placed in the position shown in Figure 4. Thisis accomplished by pressing on the'lever" I ill (Figure 6)' whence thepawl I will be freed from the teeth" of the 'wheel 96 and'the finger I II will forcethe pawl I M away from the teeth 'of' said wheel. Thespring96 willreversely rotate the wheel 96 and return the follower tothe position shown in Figure 4 by the rotation 'of the shaft 63 whichactuates the groups of levers"65-66 and fil 62. The manifolds or sheetsof paper'are'th'en placed upon the rack-with the lower edgesrestingonthe upturned flanges. I5. ably positioned so that said apron willguide the manifolds into a position against the platen of thetypewriter.

- It is to be borne in mind that'the rack l' will lbe filled witha'stack of papers ormanifolds which are discharged individually fronithe rack for-reception by the'typewriter and the leading manifold orsheet of paper is picked 01f "the-rack at'the'discharge end'thereof when-said-manifold or paper is moved onto'the levers or arms-Hand I9 atthe-"reduced portions 89 of the flange5'15.

Wherever the word paper is usedin-the description and claims, it isintended to include a manifold or a sheet of paper. *Th leading p'aperreferred to above denotes that paper "onthe'rack" which faces the jawsI=i3-'(Figure l3) andwhich is in the position'where it'willbe withdrawnfrom 'the-"rackat'thenextioperation ofthe lever 36 (Fi ure iy It will'be. necessary lto adjustthe-stop 93am the The Y The apron I66 isadjust- .2,54s,sss

, swinging rod 32. to a position where the throw 0f the1Vef36iWillftfailSTh pat VI I 04 :YFigurdG) to engage successivelyonetooth at ea'ch'ro'c'king i of said'lever or'theadjustmentma-ycause-the pawl tofengage' successively every se'c'ond orthiid tooth."The adjustment of 'the stop depends upon thethic'kness of the folders;manifolds, or sheets of paper. When single sheets "or paper ='are-placedin' the rack the pawl I04-'-will=revolve the wheel 96 by engagingsuccessively -single teth-while'the thicker folders 'or'manifoldwillrequire a greater angular step-by-step rotation of thewheel.

The rack" 5| of the machine' having been *suppliedwith astack of papers(Figure '4) and the proper adjustmentof "the stop-"'33' 'having beenmade,' the 'machine is in conditionto supply papers as desired to theplaten of the typewriter. The lever--43 (Figures -3 and 11) ismanually=operatedfor actuating the levers'36 and-2 I (Figures 2 amt-4)whereby the'-shaftI-I5'will-be rocked by the CurVed'arni'I-ZI; rod H6and link-I20. At thes'ar'ne time'thenrm 108 is also rockedso that thelinks I61 and' I06 will move the pawl I'Il I back andf'orth for'rotatingthe wheel 96 step- "lay-step.

Actuation of the wheel' 96 "causes rotation of the shaft 63' through theintervention ofthe-gears 59 '(Figi' 5).

and the projecting jaws 1-43 into the dotted'l-ine position showninFigure '8; with said fi'angein engagement with thefiah'gef-BQ at thedischarge end'of the rack. "The ja'wsi43 are projected through thepassage"85 in meetings-84? However, the "jaws will not grip-theleadingpaper unless the lower end" of said paper has-been seated onthe'reducedportions 89 "ofthe flanges 15. When said lea'dingpaperdropsronto portions 89 'of" said" flanges; the flange I31 will press-thelower end of the papenagainst the flange-84 so that "the jaws "I'43'will"move through said paper andloe clamped thereon,"'as"will' be "presentlydescribed.

Theispring" arms I46""(Figures" 8" and 13)' will resist forward"movementof thefingers I30 in E31 into a position between the members--89 so thatthe flange] 3T onsa'id U-shaped member will engagethe-bottom of theIeadingpaperand the jaws I 43"'will penetr'atesaid paper. The shaft II5, however, has not as yet'complet'ed its rocking movement so'thatduring" the finalangular rotation "of said shaft, the'ifingersI39on'the lever I26 will f'or'cethe'if way through the alined slots togrip the leading paper.

The spring'26 (Figures 2 and 4) will return'the iever' ZPar-id'associated. element to the normal inoperative positions'when the lever'43 (Figure 3) is released, so' thattherock shaft H5 and attached lever"I26 wmreturn to theiri'noperative positions. During. the 'returnofthe/lever 126,

the jaws l l3'vv'ill pull the leading paper from the rack and because ofthe tension of the spring arms M the fingers I38 will move rearwardly inthe slots I44 thereby releasing the spring arms M0 (Figure 13), whilethe jaws I43 are unclamped from the paper and said paper will fall andbe guided by the apron I65 and the member H0 into engagement with theplaten of the typewriter.

The blank space 165 on the wheel 96 (Figure 6) is so arranged that whenthe final paper in the rack reaches the discharge end and is withdrawn,the space I65 when it reaches the pawls I00 and H34 will stop anyfurther step-by-step movement of the follower andthe rock shaft I I5. Atthis time the pawl if!!! is rocked away from the wheel 9t when thefinger ill will free the pawl I04 from said wheel to permit the spring90 to return the follower 60 to its initial position.

Iclaimz, 1. A paper feeding machine comprising a rack having a dischargeend, means moving papers through the rack to the discharge end, meansfor picking the leading paper from the rack,

said means including a rock shaft, a U-shaped member having the legsthereof pivoted on said shaft, a lever located within the U-shapedmember and secured to the shaft. a slide mounted at the under face ofthe bridging portion of the U-shaped member and provided with anupstandingflange facing the discharge end of the rack, said flangehaving spaced openings, a V-shaped paper picking element having springarms mounted on the bridging portion with jaws on the free ends andcurved toward each other, said jaws projecting through the openings togrip the paper, means securing the opposite ends of the arms to thebridging portion, means adjustably positioning the slide on t e bridgingportion for varying the distance between the jaws 0n the springarms andthe flange, cooperating means causing rocking of the shaft and lever forpro ecting the jaws into gripping relation with leading paper and meansfor causing the moving means for the papers to shift said papers to thedischarge end of the rack.

2. A paper feeding machine comprising a rack having a discharge end.means moving papers through the rack to the discharge end, means forpicking the leading paper from the rack, said means including a rockshaft, a U-shaped member having the legs thereof pivoted on said shaft,a lever located within the U-shaped member and I secured to the shaft, aV-shaped paper picking element having spring arms, the free ends of saidarms being pointed and curved toward each other, the U-shaped memberhaving a bridging portion upon which the bight portion of the V-shapedelement is secured, a lever within the U-shaped member being secured tothe shaft, said bridging portion having parallel slots therein below thespring arms, fingers on the lever projecting upwardly through the slotsand in engagement with the spring arms, means rocking the shaft andlever, the spring arms acting on the fingers causing the U-shaped memberto be rocked with the lever until the pointed ends of the arms piercethe leading paper, continued rocking of the lever moving the fingersalong the slots and forcing the arms toward each other so that thecurved pointed ends will firmly grip the paper, means returning thelever and fingers for withdrawing the paper from the rack while thespring arms return to inoperative positions for releasing the paper, andmeans operating the moving means for the papers simultaneously with therocking of the lever.

3. A paper feeding machine comprising a rack having a discharge end,means moving papers through the rack to the discharge end, means forpicking the leading paper from the rack, said means including a rockshaft, a U-shaped member having the legs thereof pivoted on said shaft,a lever located within the U-shaped member and secured to the shaft, theU-shaped member having a bridging portion at the upper ends of the legs,flared spring arms having the inner ends secured to the top of thebridging portion, the free ends of said arms being provided with papergripping jaws, said bridging portion having spaced elongated slots belowthe arms, fingers on the lever projecting through said slots, eachfinger engaging a spring arm so that when the lever is rocked thefingers acting against the spring. arms will rock the U-shaped memberuntil the jaws on the arms will grip the leading paper on the rack,continued rocking of the lever will cause the finger to move in theslots and force the arms and jaws toward each other, means for rockingthe lever toward the rack, means returning the lever and fingers toinoperative positions for releasing the spring arms and the jaws fromthe paper, the returning U-shaped member withdrawing the leading paperfrom the rack, and means operating the moving means for the papers onthe rack simultaneously with the rocking of the lever.

4. A paper feeding machine comprising a rack having a discharge end,means for moving paper through the rack to the discharge end, a rockshaft, a lever secured to said shaft, a rockable means pivoted 'on theshaft and movable into contact with the leading paper on the rack at thedischarge end by the lever, jaws on the rockable means adapted to gripleading paper, means on the lever for causing the jaws to grip saidpaper, means for rocking the shaft to move the rockable means onto thepaper, means returning the lever and rockable means to an inoperativeposition for withdrawing the leading paper from the rack, while causingthe means on the lever to release the jaws from the paper andmeans'operating the paper-moving means in the with said rockable meansand being movable m timed relation therewith.

5. In a paper feeding machine, means for moving a stack of papersthrough a rack comprising a follower in the 'rack and'inclined at anangle to the vertical, a shaft mounted on the rack, a bell crank securedto the shaft, a link having pivotal connections between one arm of saidbellcrank and the bottom of the follower, a second bell-crank pivoted onthe follower adjacent the top, a link pivotally connected between thefollower and the free end of one arm of the second bell crank, a linkconnecting the other arms of the bell-cranks, a toothed wheel mounted onthe rack, operative connections between said wheel and the shaft, anoscillating pawl engaging the wheel for causing step-by-step rotation ofthe wheel, a spring connected between the shaft and the rack being woundwhen the shaft is rotated, a pawl retaining the wheel against reverserotation by the spring, and means for oscillating the first pawl forrotating the wheel and causing shifting of the follower'through the racktoward the discharge end.

6. In a paper feeding machine, means for moving a stack of papersthrough a rack comprising a follower in the rack and inclined at anangle rack, said lastmentioned means being operatively connected to thevertical, a shaft mounted. on the. rack;,ia bell crank secured totheshaftrhaving pivotal connections between onearm-pf.saidibell-crankn'and the bottom of the follower, asecondbell-crank pivoted on the follower adjacent the :top, 'a linkpivotally' connected between the followerrand' the free end of one armof the secondbell crankza link connecting the other armsiof thebell-cranks,

a toothed wheel mounted onthe rack toperative connections betweensaidwheel and the. shaftyan oscillating pawl engaging the wheel .forgcausingstep-by-step rotation of the wheel, a springrconnected between theshaftand the rackl-being wound when the shaft, is rotated, a .pawrreta'iningthe wheel against reverse rotation; bythe spring, means for oscillating.the first;-paw1-.for rotating the wheel and causing shifting of-thefollower through'the. rack toward: the; discharge end, and a finger onthe second pawladjacent otal connections.betweerr'one: arm of 'saidbells crank andthe bottom of- -thefol'lower-,;a: second bell-crankpivoted on the follower" adjacent the top, a link pivotally connectedbetween the 'fol lower and the free end of one; arm of'thersecond bellcrank, a link connectingtheother-arms-oh,

the bell-cranks, a toothedwheel mounted onthe rack, operativeconnections between said'wheel and the shaft, anoscillating:pawl'engaging the wheel for causingstep-bv-stepgrotation-ofv the wheel, a spring connected between theshaft and,

the rack being woundtwh-en;the,-shaftis rotated, a, pawl retaining thewheel against reverse rotation by the spring; an actuating lever, meansmanually rocking saidlever, operative-connections between the actuating:leverand the oscillate ing pawl for causing step by step rotation-of thewheel and the follower'," and means operated by the secondpawl forthrowing the oscillating pawl away from the wheelso that the springwill-reversely rotate the shaft and*return; the-follower,

to its initial position;-

8. In a paper feeding machinehaving a rack for supporting a plurality ofpapersadaptedto bewwithd-rawn singly from ,,said rack,- meansrforwithdrawingthe papers from the rack, 1 comprising a rock shaft, alever-secured-at one end to said shaft, a rockablenmeans .pivoted ontheshaft and operated by the, lever,,-jaws on.,;the rockablemeans adaptedto grip the leading sheet on the rack, cooperating means on thelever-.and rockable means forcausing' the, jaws to grip the leadingpaperwhen said.,jaws are moved'into engagement with said-leading ,paper bythe lever, means: causing .rocking of, the, shaft and lever, and; means,returning the leverand rockable member to an inoperative position.

9. -A-,paper,feeding machine, comprising a rack having a-ldischarge,end; spaced. upstanding flanges on, said .rackfon supporting theelowerends ofthe papers arranged in, stack formation edgewise, the flanges atthe discharge endbeing cutaway toprovide paperesupportingcdges at alower level, .a rock arm, adjacent the cut-away portions of the. flangesand disposed normally above ,theuupperp edges ,of said cut-awayportions, means for, shifting the follower and the papers in"incremental stages. toward the dischargeende so that the, leading.paper willlbe moved .onto saidrock arm, the weight of said paperdepressing, said ,arm, means for picking the leadingpaper from the rack,means'oscillatable about the common, shaft for operating said,shiftingmeans and said picking meansin timed relation to advance. thepaper to said supporting edges and .to, .movethe picking means into.operative relation with the leading paper, means returningsaid pickinmeans to'an inoperative position while withdrawing the leading paperfrom said rack, and means operated by said rock arm when depressed forrendering the shifting means for the follower inoperative until the,leading paperis withdrawn from said rock arm.

FRED SCHWARZER.

REFERENCES" CITED:

The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date.

968,978 Pribil Aug.,30,i1910 0' 1,008,961 Doane et a1. Nov. 14, 19112,038,645 Cherry et al. Apr. 28,1936

2,361,907 Baker Nov..7,19.44

